There are many kinds of video lotteries in commercial use. Managers choose to operate a particular kind of games according to players' preferences and to the current legislation. The kinds of games growing in popularity since the last decades are the ones played on electronic gaming devices comprising a video display. One example is Poker games played on electronic Poker machines.
One particular method used by gaming area managers to attract players consists to offering big prizes also known as jackpots. This method consists generally to award the progressive jackpot when a player yields a particularly rare winning combination. To increase faster the value of the progressive jackpot, a common technique is to link electronic gaming devices offering the same game on a network. Therefore, the value of the progressive jackpot grows in regards to the number of plays in the game on all the gaming devices of the network. Then, the jackpot is awarded to the first electronic gaming device of the network yielding the winning combination.
With this method, gaming area managers offer jackpots that can increase to very big values. Nevertheless, to obtain very big amounts, the winning combination must be very rare. Consequently, it is very rare for players to see someone win the jackpot. Furthermore, to increase the jackpot even faster, the network frequently links devices from different locations. Therefore, the jackpot is sometimes awarded while players are playing but in another location.
Additionally, when the jackpot is awarded, players don't see reasons to keep playing and devices stay relatively unused until the jackpot reached again an interesting value. Consequently, managers see their revenues decrease for this period.
Another method widely used by casino managers to attract players consists of awarding points transferable to services offered by the casino. To acquire points, players must possess a VIP card on which points will be credited in regards to their plays. The number of points varies in regards to different characteristics of the plays: the amounts played, the games played, the moment played, etc. Nevertheless, to acquire an interesting number of points, players must play a lot of money. Consequently, it does not succeed in interesting players who do not want to bet too much during their time at the casino.
Another strategy to keep players playing longer used by game designers is to create new games continuously presenting more innovative new bonuses, more high-quality graphics, more animations, more sounds, etc. Therefore, these features are there to create an atmosphere, a unique and interesting game environment. But, as interesting as these features are, they require time and money to develop. Furthermore, they require more and more powerful gaming devices to play them. Moreover, when players have seen all the possible bonuses in the game, they frequently lose interest for the game. Consequently, game designers needs to continually develop new games presenting new bonuses, new graphics, new animations, . . .
A different method used to attract players is to offer to place side bets on other options of their favorite game. An example of that consists of offering to players to place a side bet on the number of consecutive wins they can attain in a blackjack game. With this method, the game is not changed. Moreover, this is not an additional attraction to the game.
Nevertheless, some players see in the side bet other additional prizes and therefore new interest for the game. However, by adding additional bets, the strategies and rules of the game are slightly changed. Therefore, it can frustrate some players. This interest is not linked to a whole new environment of play; it does not create a new atmosphere of play.
Another possible way to play is on live tables, such as Poker, Blackjack, or Craps games. These games have the advantage of offering a social aspect. Players sit together at a table. When a player wins, other players have the possibility to congratulate him, to envy him, and therefore to take part of his success. However, the disadvantages of these games played in common are that players can not play at their rhythm. Moreover, it is difficult to keep the anonymous aspect of the game. The others players see you win or lose. Therefore, some players prefer electronic gaming devices for their liberty of play and the anonymous aspect of the play. Nevertheless, it does not involve that these players do not want some social aspect in the game.
Some players who want challenge take part of competition. In these competitions, the players compete simultaneously one against each other, and against themselves. During the competition, players plays on an electronic gaming device trying to gather the maximum number of points within a limited time. Therefore, players can try to win over their best score. Nevertheless, they also want to be one of the best players to reach the additional level of the competition. It allows them to compare themselves.
During the last decade, the electronic gaming devices that was designed to control the payout in regards to sequences of play, particularly designed in regards to controlling the money inserted in the machine and awarded by the machine, were retired. The governments judge them unfair for players. Nevertheless, some players regret these games and these devices. With these devices, they had criteria they used to determine if the machine was in a period of giving money to players, or increasing the incomes. Since, some players have tried to find new games offering this sense of control, therefore allowing them to loose less money, moreover to win some.
What players really want it a sense of control over the game. Additionally, they want to win big prizes. Players want these games to concurrently take a greater social aspect along to keeping players anonymous. To do so, they need a method of playing gambling games offering them to take part concurrently to influence the wins of others. Furthermore, they want to feel the influence of other players, therefore the social aspect of the game. To do so, the method of play must offer chances of wins in regards to the method of play to everyone relatively frequently. Therefore, the social aspect of the game become not a vague aspect of the game but a reality shared with all players.
Since none of the methods described above offer a social aspect to players regarding the game, nor a sense of control over the game, the invention offers a method of playing wagering games improving the pleasure players feel when playing the game, and consequently keeping them playing longer. More precisely, the method of play is applied on electronic gaming devices offering players all the freedom of play in addition to the anonymity they want. Furthermore, the method can be implemented on players' favorite games without changing the rules of the game. The method of play allows to award interesting prizes without awarding these prizes as rarely as progressive jackpots do.